It has long been common practice to transport loads on flatbed vehicles, such as trucks and trailers. These loads are secured to the vehicles using flexible tie-down elements, such as chains, cables and straps. The loads transported by these vehicles often vary widely in shape, size and weight. As a result, many different kinds of apparatus have been developed for tightening and securing tie-down elements to a vehicle deck.
These various apparatus typically either directly incorporate or provide a mounting mechanism for a winch or other rotational device for tightening a cable or strap placed over the load. Many of the conventional kinds of tightening and securing apparatus mount along the longitudinal edges of the transporting vehicle's flatbed deck. Since a variety of federal and state agencies have placed width and height restrictions on transport vehicles, it is advantageous for the winches associated with the securing devices to be directed vertically downward so that the winches do not contribute to the width of the flatbed decks. This allows useable deck space to be maximized. The vertical downward orientation of the winch also allows larger amounts of torque to be generated by the winch.
The problem with directing the securing devices downward is that such orientation often does not provide adequate clearance from the wheels of the transport vehicles and increases the height of the deck. Therefore, the securing devices are generally directed horizontally outward in the area of the flatbed vehicle's wheels and cannot slide longitudinally. As described above, this type of winch orientation reduces the amount of useable flatbed deck space and reduces the amount of torque that can be generated by the winch. There is a continuing need in the art for a flatbed vehicle securement device that allows useable flatbed deck space to be maximized while still providing adequate clearance over the wheels of the vehicle.